


Tinsel, Baubles and Lights

by Dazzledfirestar



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, One Shot, Reunions, Tony doesn't want to wait til Christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-01
Updated: 2013-12-01
Packaged: 2018-01-01 00:23:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1038143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazzledfirestar/pseuds/Dazzledfirestar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Christmas from the perspective of the Avengers Christmas Tree.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tinsel, Baubles and Lights

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Feelstide 2013. Prompt #68

I didn’t expect to end up somewhere quite like this. There were rumors on the lot. Big trees went to big places. I was a big tree so I thought that sounded like a good plan. I thought maybe a bank lobby. Or a shopping mall? Maybe a department store.

But this… this is far more interesting than any of that would be. Stark Tower. And not just down in the lobby. No, no. Apparently I was special enough to catch the eye of one Ms. Pepper Potts and I am going to be the official tree of the Avengers.

Quite the honor.

But that’s not the interesting bit. Not really. It’s not like I can go back and brag to the other trees obviously. Though I would, if I am being honest about it. No, the interesting thing is the people. There are a lot of them and they all seem interesting in their own right, especially when they think they’re alone. I mean, really… I’m a tree. I’m not really good company and it’s not like I could tell anyone about their secrets and hidden moments. I wouldn’t anyway. That’d be rude.

But the people. They are interesting. Mr. Stark, I’ve learned, likes to sneak down in the middle of the night and run tests—traditional and otherwise—on the packages under me. I’m not sure if he’s managed to discover what’s under all that wrapping paper yet, but I know at least one of them is lead lined. The string of curses he let fly when he tried to x-ray that package was hysterical. I’d have laughed if I could have.

I think Dr. Banner would have too. That was his present to Mr. Stark.

Dr. Banner is interesting. Quiet. He seems to like to sit and watch my lights with a cup of tea and maybe a book. I will admit, I do have lovely lights but given what I know about the man, it seems odd. Maybe he finds the lights peaceful. I hope that’s it. I’d like to help him find a little of that in the world. But it’s also nice to watch his slip another gift under me and try to hide it amongst the other ones so nobody really notices until Christmas morning.

Captain Rogers seemed a little shocked by me at first. I suppose when one is from a time when things were tighter and one had to make due, I would seem rather extravagant. Especially once I was decorated. 

The decorating though. That seemed to warm him up to the idea of having me around. He took a great amount of joy out of every sparkly, shiny ornament; in all the colors and the lights and finding the perfect way to drape the tinsel on my branches. There was quite a conversation with Clint Barton about not just tossing handfuls of tinsel at me. They both had very different styles of tree decorating apparently, but either way, I think I look wonderful. Ms. Romanov and Ms. Potts agreed. They were supervising from the nearest couch during all of this and enjoying some eggnog. It wasn’t until it was time to put the star on that either of them got up.

The way Ms. Romanov laughed as Captain Rogers lifted her up to put the star on was absolutely lovely. I think she should do that more often.

Where was I? Oh yes. Secrets. Now, to be fair, I’m not sure how well anyone could keep a secret in a house full of spies and superheroes. Mr. Stark in particular seems more than capable of rooting out anything he wishes to know whether it’s his business or not. Ms. Romanov seems to instinctively know what everyone is doing even if she doesn’t see it right away. Dr. Banner… well, he doesn’t seem the gossipy type but he does get a quiet little grin when Mr. Stark starts trying to take bets on who is sleeping with who at SHIELD so maybe I’m wrong about that.

I’m rather used to being used as camouflage. When I was growing up there were all sorts of animals that did that sort of thing in my branches and around my trunk. Humans are no different. Though thankfully none of them have tried to climb me. A few more glasses of eggnog though and I would not put it past Mr. Barton.

Which brings me to the latest development in Avengers Tower. You see, right this very moment, Mr. Barton is hiding behind me. Yes, I would agree that’s terribly odd. I am rather prickly and there isn’t much space back there. At least he caught the ornaments he knocked off. I would think it was a sign that he needed to get a little more pre-holiday rest if it wasn’t for one very important detail.

He’s not alone.

In fact, he seems very happy not to be alone. Now I know from early this evening that everyone is more than happy to see Agent Coulson. I think I might have misheard something about not being dead anymore… but that can’t be right. Humans can’t be replanted… Anyway, Mr. Barton had been uncharacteristically quiet during all that. In fact, I didn’t see much of him through dinner—I have a lovely view of the dining room—or drinks after. Not until he pulled Agent Coulson into that tight little spot behind me. 

I got a little more of the story from their hushed conversation. I can’t say it makes much sense to me but context is an important thing after all and that is the one thing I lack here. 

“I thought you were dead…”

“I was. I’m sorry.”

The sorry seemed to fix something because shortly after that they started kissing. Now I don’t know much about human mating rituals. They aren’t quite like squirrels. But I think, from what I’ve heard from Ms. Potts and Captain Rogers that privacy is a good thing. So if I happen to shift my branches so they can have a few more minutes… well, I’m sure nobody will notice.

I’m just a tree, after all.


End file.
